The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

“Sanjaya said, ’Thy warriors, as soon
as they beheld those foremost of persons of the Vrishni-Andhaka
and the Kuru races, lost no time, each striving to
be first, in proceeding against them from a desire
of slaughtering them. And so Vijaya also rushed
against those foes of his. On their great cars,
decked with gold, cased in tiger-skins, producing
deep rattle, and resembling blazing fire, they rushed,
illumining the ten points of the compass, armed, O
king, with bows, the backs of whose staves were decked
with gold, and which in consequence of their splendour,
were incapable of being looked at, and uttering loud
cries, and drawn by angry steeds. Bhurisravas,
and Sala and Karna, and Vrishasena, and Jayadratha,
and Kripa. and the ruler of the Madras, and that foremost
of car-warriors, viz., the son of Drona. these
eight great car-warriors, as if devouring the skies
(as they proceeded) illuminated the ten points of
the compass with their splendid cars, cased in tiger-skins
and decked with golden moons. Clad in mail, filled
with wrath and mounted upon their cars the rattle
of which resembled the roar of masses of clouds, they
covered Arjuna on every side with a shower of sharp
shafts. Beautiful steeds of the best breed, endued
with great speed, bearing those great car-warriors,
looked resplendent as they illumined the points of
the compass. Their cars drawn by foremost steeds
of great fleetness were of diverse countries and of
diverse species, some bred in mountainous regions,
some in rivers, and some in the country of the Sindhus,
many foremost of car-warriors among the Kurus desirous,
O king, of rescuing thy son quickly rushed towards
Dhananjaya’s car from every side. Those
foremost of men, taking up their conchs blew them,
filling O king, the welkin and the earth with her seas
(with that blare). Then those foremost ones among
the gods, viz., Vasudeva and Dhananjaya, also
blew their foremost of conchs on earth. The son
of Kunti blew Devadatta, and Kesava blew Panchajanya.
The loud blast of Devadatta, sent forth by Dhananjaya,
filled the earth, the welkin, and ten points of the
compass. And so Panchajanya also blown by Vasudeva,
surpassing all sounds, filled the sky and the earth.
And while that awful and fierce noise continued, a
noise that inspired the timid with fear and the brave
with cheers, and while drums and Jharjharas, and cymbals
and Mridangas, O great king, were beat by thousands,
great car-warriors invited to the Kuru side and solicitous
of Dhananjaya’s welfare, those great bowmen,
filled with rage and unable to bear the loud blast
of Arjuna’s and Krishna’s conchs, those
kings from diverse realms supported by their respective
troops, in rage blew their great conchs, desiring to
answer with their own blasts the blasts of Kesava
and Arjuna. The Kuru army then, urged forward
by that blare of conchs, had its car-warriors, elephants,
and steeds filled with anxiety and fear. Indeed,
O lord, that host looked as if they that comprised